Published on January 1, 2022

ADAO’s Top Ten Asbestos Facts (2022)

    1. Asbestos is a known human carcinogen.  Each year, asbestos kills an estimated 40,000 Americans.

    2. There is no safe or controlled use of asbestos.

    3. Asbestos can be found in homes, schools, workplaces, on consumer shelves, and around superfund sites. 

    4. All types of asbestos can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, cancer of the larynx and ovary, and asbestosis.

    5. The United States is the only western industrialized nation not to ban asbestos.

    6. The Word Health Organization states, “one in every three deaths from occupational cancer is estimated to be caused by asbestos.

    7. In 2020, asbestos consumption in the United States was estimated to be 450 metric tons. 

    8. In 2020, the chlor-alkali industry accounted for 100% of U.S. asbestos consumption. 

    9. According to USGS, “Numerous materials substitute for asbestos.”  

    10. Russia is the leading producer of asbestos worldwide, followed by Kazakhstan, China, Brazil, and Zimbabwe.